Desk furniture



R. J. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE Oct. 23, 1945.

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2, 1943 ATTORNEY Oct. 23, 1945. R. .1. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE 7 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1943 ATTORNEY Oct. 23, 1945.

R. J. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE Filed Sept. 2, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Pom/v0 L/ fiPEMA/V ATTORNEY R. J. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE Filed Sept. 2, 1945 7' Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR fioz AND J F/Pi'f/VA/V ATTORNEY R. J. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE Get. 23, 1945.

7 Shee ts-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 2, 1943 IYNVENTOR fPozn/va 1/ Fla-5M4 ATTORNEY I Oct.23, 1945. R. J. FREEMAN DESK FURNITURE Filed 2 1945 7 Sheets-s :1 .19. Tc] INVENTQIR ATTORNEY Oct. 23, 1945. 'R, FREEMA 2,337,506

DESK FURNITURE Filed Sept. 2, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 r5 22. W ZZ. M

ATTORNEY Patented a. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.381.506

am f sm... $1 .1 N. Y. Application September 2, 194:, Serial No. 500398 11 Claims. (01. 45-0) This invention relates to furniture constructed partly of metal and partly of wood or other nonmetallic materials,such as plastics, so that while, whenthearticle of furniture is completely assembled, its load-bearing elements are made of metal, it presents the outward appearance of an article offurniture made substantially entirely of wood or other non-metallic material. The invention is particularly applicable to ofllce furniture, especially'desk furniture.

Office furniture, particularly desks, are awkward-to handle and take up a great deal of space when stored in assembled condition at the factory awaiting shipment.

One object of this invention i a desk or other analogous article of furniture which can be completely fabricated and finished ready to be assembled and then stored at the factory in knockdown condition, so as to substantially reduce theamount of space which would be required if the article were stored in assembled condition.

Another object is the reduction of the risk of damage from handling.

Another object is a substantial reduction, in the inventory of raw material normally required to be kept on hand, in the amount and type of machinery normally required to convert the raw material into parts for the knock-down units, and the conservation of assembly and storage space, thus effecting a drasticreductio'n both in original capital outlay and in factory overhead.

Another object is to eliminate a substantial portion of the skilled labor which is normally required in the manufacture of desk furniture of the conventional construction.

Another object is a desk having a metal pedestal frame consisting of the runners for the drawers and arm-slides as required, vertical end plates for bracing each corner of the frame, and a series of cross braces, all of the said runners, end plates and cross braces being of steel or the like spot welded or otherwise interlocked to form one pedestal frame.

Another object is to utilize two spaced vertical steel load-bearing members which may be in the form of steel channels. to carry the entire load sustained by the runners and other corelated parts of the complete metal pedestal frame.

Another object isa complete metal pedestal frame whichmay be enclosed with non-loadbearing panels secured to said frame in any preferred manner whereby the panels do not carry any portion of the loadsupported by the pedestal frame. but merely serve to enclose it.

Another object is a desk construction wherein I non-metallic materials, such as wood, are so combined in the desk assembly as to give the resulting article the load-bearing strength of metal, with the eye-appearance ofwoo'd or of such other non-metallic -materials as might be exteriorly used; which, by variously combining a relatively limited number of standardized parts, can be produced in several different designs and sizes; and which may utilize one or more interchangeable metallic pedestal frames, standardized according to size of drawer or character of pedestal, to constitute a direct load-bearing pedestal frame for both the desk and its contents, thus eliminating corner posts or legs.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings comprising seven sheets of twenty-five figures, numbered Figs. 1, 2, 2a, 3 to 10, 10a, 11 to 16, 16a, and 17 to 22 inclusive.

certain embodiments illustrative of the invention are set forth.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled desk embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the desk of Fig. 1, in partially exploded form; 1

Fig. 2a is a view of a detail, showing certain of the parts partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the metallic load-bearing pedestal frame;

Fig. 4 is a side view, and Fig. 5 is a top view, thereof;

Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are perspective views showing various details of construction of the metallic load-bearing pedestal frame;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the interchangeable wooden side panels, to be detachably supported by the metallic pedestal frame;

Fig. 100. is an end view of an end panel.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectionalviewMofthe metallic pedestal frame and-pariel assembly, showing certain of the parts partly broken away; Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of a detail; Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view of a modifled form;

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view of a detail of the modified form of Fig. 13, and Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a corner detail thereof Figs. 16, 16a and 17 are detailed. views, partly without loosening or removing the desk in section and partly broken away, of another modified form of the invention:

Figs. 18 and 19 are detailed views of two alternative types of drawer runner construction;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a sled base for spacing the metallic pedestal frame away from the floor;

Fig. 21 is a vertical cross section of a fragment of the sled base taken along the line 2|--2| of Fig. 22; and

Fig. 22 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 22-.-22 of Fig. 21.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

For convenience, the invention is embodied, by

way of example, in an ofllce desk construction I8 (Fig. 1) having the usual desk top H, supported upon a pair of spaced pedestals l2, each pedestal containing the usual drawers l6. Each pedestal also contains a metallic load-bearing pedestal frame 2|) (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) including the U-shaped load-bearing steel channels 22 (Fig. 4), which may be spaced away from the floor by means of the sled bases l3 (Figs. 1 and 20) The sled bases I3 directly support the steel channels 22 (Figs. 21 and 22) of the load-bearing pedestal frame 2|). All parts of "the desk are either suspended from, or supported by, the load-bearing pedestal frames 28 (Fig. 4), which in turn are supported solely by the load-bearing steel channels 22, which are in direct contact with the sled bases l3, hence the weight of the desk and its con- 2) and the steel angle pieces 35 which form drawer runners for center drawer l6, are bolted to the brackets 32 (Fig. 9) by means of countersunk machine bolts 36 (Figs. 2 and 2a) which pass through the openings 33 in the brackets 32 (Fig.

9), to secure the spaced pedestals together.

Fig. 11 illustrates the details of a wood and .38 fastened from th'inside and passing through 'the counter-sunk holes 29 of the angle-steel tents is transmitted directly from the 1oad-bearing steel channels 22 to the sled bases l3, and no part of the weight of the desk is supported by the side or end panels or by the corners 41 (Figs. 11 and 13).

The load-bearing pedestal frame 2|! is a frame= work or skeleton consisting preferably of a series of angle-steel or channelled steel rods or bars welded together as best illustrated in Figs. 3 to 9. Each pedestal frame 20 preferably includes two spaced U-shaped load-bearing steel members 22 which may be channels, to which the upper side braces 21, which may if desired be shaped so as to constitute arm-slide guide-channels, and the L shaped bottom side braces 25 are securely welded. The channelled steel cross braces 23-23, and the bottom braces 2424 are welded to the end plates 2|2| which form the four comers of pedestal frame 20. The upper rear cross brace 23 may also be welded to the arm-slide guide channels 2|--2'|, and the bottom braces 24-24 may also be welded to the L-shaped side braces 2525 (compare Figs. 3, 4 and 7) The pedestal frame 20 is further strengthened by the addition of the vertical end plates 2|, which may be of angle-steel, and the spaced steel drawer runners 28, which are all welded or locked into the framework to complete the load-bearing pedestal frame 28. Fig. 6 shows how a drawer runner 28 is welded to one of the load-bearing steel channels 22; Fig. 7 shows the assembly of the upper corner of the left rear end plate 2|, the armslide guide-channel 21, and the upper channelled end plates 2| (Fig. 4) into the wooden spacer strips 42 (Fig. 11). The screw holes 29 may be elongated (Fig. 4) to compensate for any difference in expansion between the side panels 4|) and the pedestal frame 20. The flanges of the steel channels 22 (Fig. 5), register with the saw cuts 43 in the spacer strips 4| (Fig. 10); the-saw cuts allowing suflicient clearance to allow the vertical spacer strips 42-42 to form a close fit against the angle-steel end plates 2 |-2| (see Fig. 11) Each end plate 2| includes two or more spaced punchingsor metal tabs 26 (Figs. 4 and 5) which are drilled to receive the machine bolts 45 (Fig. 11) which fasten the corners 41 to the metal tabs 26 of the steel end plates 2|. The ply-wood end panel 46 is provided withhorizontal spacer strips I06 (Fig. 10a), which nestle in the channelled cross braces 23 and bottom brace 24 (Fig. 4). Panel 46 is secured in place by wood screws fastened through the holes 39 in the braces 23 and 24 (Fig. 3) into the spacer strips I06 attached to panel 46 (Fig. 100.). The corners 41 are preferably of plastic material, although other materials may be used if preferred. The ornamental beading 31' (Figs. 11 and 12) may be attached with wood screws 8| to the underside of the lower spacer strips 4|. This beading may be formed by turning over the marginal edge of a metal sheet 44 (Fig. 12). The metal sheet 44 extends across the bottom of the pedestal unit (Fig. 11) to provide a dust-proof construction. The metal sheet 44 is slotted (Fig. 11) to accommodate the upper 'end of the elongated metallic shell 9|) of the sled attached at spaced intervals to the rear end steel back cross brace 23; Fig. 8 shows the botplate 2| (Figs. 2 and 11) to receive the slots 5| (Figs. 2 and 11) formed in the angle-steel member 50. Closure panel |4 may be mounted upon the angle-steel member 50 with wood screws 82, and the lock nuts 48 -clamp angle-steel member 5|) against the wood panel 40 as shown in Fig. 11.

The sides 16 of the drawers |5are grooved (Fig. 18) to receive the drawer runners 28. The grooves in the sides 16 of the drawers [5 may be lined with metallic drawer guides 11. Fig. 19 illustrates another form of drawer runner which may be welded to the steel channels 22 and end plates 2|, in the same manner as the drawer mannered registers with asteel channel is atreceive the brackets 32. The brace bars 36 (Fig. m fi o t e 5 618778 of the drawer.

asemoe I The center drawer I (Fig. 1) is siidably supported upon the steel angle-pieces 35 (Fig. 2). the machine bolts 34 which secure the brace bars 34 and steel angle-pieces 35 to the brackets 32 (Figs. 2A and 9) being counter-sunk in the steel angle-pieces 35 (Figs. 2 and 2A). so as not to interfere with the proper operation of the drawer.

The two pedestals are securely fastened together by means of wood screws which are screwed through the spaced holes in the arm-slide guidechannels 21 (Fig. 2), into the underside of desk top H, to form the complete desk l substanmay be omitted, in which event the channelled arm-slide guides 21 may be replaced with some other suitable form of steel side braces to which desk top H may be fastened.

-The sleds ll may be used to raise the desk off the floor (Figs. 1 and 2). The notches 90 formed in the upper edge of the elongated metaltially as shown in Fig. 1. The arm-slides l1 lic shell 90 (Fig. 20) register with the outwardly extending flanges of the bottom sections of the load-bearing steel channels 22-22, which steel channels are drilled at 33 (Fig. 5) to receive the machine bolts 94 (Fig. 21) which also pass through the turned-in bottom flanges 91 of the steel channels 9l-9I (Figs, 21 and 22) so as to rigidly clamp the sled base II to the load-bearing steel channels 22-22. The steel channels 9l-9l are welded to the inner wall of the metallic shell. 90. The turned-in flanges 91 may be welded to the side flanges of the steel channels 9l-9i, to cross-brace the several parts. The U-shaped brackets 92-92 are welded at spaced intervals to the inner walls of the metallic shell 90 of the sled bases l3 (Fig. 20), to provide a suitable attachment for the glides, domes or cast ers 92. With this construction, the entire weight of the desk is supported upon the sled bases l3 1 by the load-bearing steel channels 22-22 which in turn carry the load-bearing pedestal frames 20-20.

Fig. 13 illustrates, a modified form of pedestal which shows how metal panels may be substituted for the wooden panel construction shown in Fig. 11. L shaped steel reinforcing strips 53 (Fig. 13) are welded to the metallic side panels 52. The strips 53 are slotted at spaced intervals at 54 to register with the machine bolts 55 and thus reinforce the side panels 52 against buckling. The edges of the side panels 52 are bent to form corner pockets for the plastic corners .41. The side edges of the metal end panel 55 are also bent inwards to flt against the faces of the angle-steel end'plates 2| and of the inwardly-bent edges of the metallic side panels 52-52. The inwardlybent edges of the metal panels 52 and 55 are slotted (Fig. 13) to clear the metal tabs of the steel end plates 2i. The side panels 52 and end panel 55 are fastened to the angle-steel end plates 2i bymeansof nuts and bolts 59 (see Figs. 13

End 16). The bottom edges of the side panels 52-52 and of the panel 56. are bent under substantially as shown in Fig. 14. The front cross brace 24 nestsin the metal channel i00 which fits around it and forms a facing strip for the brace, and a smooth surface on which the'bottom drawer may slide in and out. The opposite ends of the upper flange of channel I00 are notched to accommodate the side braces 25 (Fig. 13), and the intermediate portion of said flange is inwardly and reversely bent at I92 to hook around the upper flange of cross brace 24 substantially as shown in Fig. 16A. The opposite ends of the facing strip are bent laterally to form the tabs I03 which are clamped between the end plates 2! and the side panels 52 (Fig. 13) by. the nutand bolt 89. The lower flange of channel I00 is inserted between the lower flange of cross brace 24 and the beaded edge iii of dust-proof bottom 50, said lower flange and said beaded edge 5! being secured at spaced intervals to the lower .flange of cross brace 24 by nuts and bolts 15 beaded edge 9| to receive machine bolts or other suitable fastening devices.

The metal central panel 51 (Fig. 13) may be 4 used as a knee-hole closure. It is welded to a steel bracket or angle-piece 55, which is slotted at spaced intervals at 59, so as to receive the male-threaded studs 45 and their lock nuts 49, by means whereof central panel 51 is secured to, and supported by, the steel end plate 2| of the load-bearing pedestal frame 20. The nuts 89 (Fig. 13) may be adjusted upon the studs 49 to serve as back-stops for the side panels 52 of the knee-hole opening. When the nuts 49 are tightened against the angle-piece 58, the nuts 99 tend to maintain the side panels 52 and the inwardly-bent side edges of center panel 51 in correct alignment and to prevent any distortion either of the walls of the side panels or of the inwardly-bent side edges of the center panel. The pedestals are connected in tandem by means of the brace bars 34 (Fig. 2) which together with the steel angle-pieces 35 are bolted by means of the machine bolts 36 engaging the holes 33 in the steel brackets 32 (Figs. 2A and 9), in the manner previously described. The desk top ii, which may be of wood, metal, or linoleum on a wooden or metallic top, is secured to the pedestals by means of suitable screws (not shown) passing through thespaced holes in the arm-slide guide-channels 21, as previously described.

Figs. 16 and 17 illustrate another modified form of pedestal. In this pedestal assembly, both the wooden panels and the plastic corners are replaced by all metal panels having finished corners and turned-in bottom edges. The L shaped steel reinforcing strips 53 are welded to the metallic side panels 99 (Figs. 16 and 17), and the metal strips 53 are slotted at spaced intervals at 54 to receive the machine bolts 55 by which the side panels 55 are reinforced.

The side edges of the metal panels 68 (Fig. 16) are reversely bent to form suitably-rounded side corners. The bottom edges of the metal panels 59 and of the end panel 10 (Fig. 16) are inwardly bent, substantially as shown in Fig. 17,. to form suitably-rounded bottom corners. The metal and panel 10 is also inwardly bent along its side edges Ill (Fig. 16A) which is finished quarter-round to form a curved facing strip for the brace and carry out the rounded appearance of the bottom edge throughout the desk. The upper flange of metal channel m is smooth and flat so that the bottom drawer may slide in and out thereon. Channel II is notched (Figi i'l'ii) to accommodate the side braces 26, hooksat'"! (Fig. 16A) around the upper flange of cross brace 24, and is provided with tabs I03 which are clamped between the end plates 2| and side panel 68 by the nuts and bolts 88 (Fig. 16). The free edge of the quarter-rounded flange of channel llll and the front edge of the dust-proof bottom I4, may be secured at spaced intervals to the lower flange of cross brace 24 by nuts and bolts I5 (Figs. 16 and 16A). Machine bolts 69 are used at spaced intervals (Fig. 16) to secure the abutting side edges of the panels 88 and to the angle-steel end plates 2i of the pedestal frame 20; and machine bolts I5 (Fig. 17) are used at spaced intervals to secure the dust-proof bottom I4 to the inwardly-bent bottom edges of the metal side and end panels. The dust-proof bottom I4 (like the dust-proof bottom 44, Fig. 11) may be slotted to accommodate the sled base I3 as previously described.

The metal central panel II (Fig. 16) may be used as a' knee-hole closure. It may be welded to an L shaped steel bracket or angle-piece I2, which may be slotted at spaced intervals at I3, to receive the male-threaded studs 48 and their associated lock nuts 49, whereby the opposite ends of central panel Il may be secured to, and supported by, the angle-steel end plates 2i of the load-bearing pedestal frames 20-20. a The nuts 89 (Fig. 16) may be adjusted upon the studs 48 toserve as back-stops for the side panel 68 of the knee-hole closure and to function generally in the manner previously described. The pedestals are connected together by means of the brace bars 34 (Fig. 2) bolted to the brackets 32 (Figs. 2A and 9), as previously described. The desk top I I may be attached to the pedestal units by means of suitable screws (not shown) passing upwards through the holes in the arm-slide guide-channels 21 as previously described, thus completing the desk III substantially as disclosed in Fig. 1 modified as described.

In each embodiment of the invention, the metallic load-bearing pedestal frame 20, supports and carries the entire weight or load of the desk. The us of angle-steel bars welded or otherwise interlocked to form the pedestal frame 20, gives.

exceptional strength to the desk, and by the use of known methods of manufacture, precisionbuilt pedestal frames may be produced thus not only speeding up the manufacture of standardized pedestal frames, but also reducing the time required to correctly assembly a desk from the various unassembled parts.

When the desk is to be provided with a compartment in the pedestal to house a typewriter, it may be desirable to employ a pedestal frame 26 of somewhat greater width than would be required when the conventional bank of drawers I5 is employed. Under these conditions the regular knee-hole closure panel l4 and center drawer I6 are replaced by closure panel and center drawer of reduced width, so that the overall length of the desk is not changed. When a single pedestal desk is desired, either one of the spaced pedestals l2 may be replaced by any preferred conventional form of wing-end support.

By providing pre-fabricated parts of different types, all designed for use in combination with one general type of load-bearing pedestal frame standardized in various sis-es but mter changeable nevertheless, it is possible to utilize said pedestal frames interchangeably in conjunction with various types and finishes of panels, to quickly assemble any desired form of desk according to the use intended or size required having any one of several different exteriors, completely finished and ready for shipment. Similarly the use of standardized precision-builtpedestal frames and interchangeable parts, simplifies and facilitates the easy replacement of a. damaged part or parts, without disassembling the desk or removing the desk top.

'Desks having wooden panels with removable corners made either of plastic or of metal, metal panels with plastic corners, or metal panels with formed metal comers, can all be built by utilizing the interchangeable load-bearing pedestal frames standardized according to size to form the basic skeleton thereof.

The removable corners 41. not only impart a decorative trim to the desk, but also serve, partic-. ularly when rounded oil! as best shown in Figs. 11 and 13, as protection against the marring of chairs by the desk corners, and the 'marring of the desk corners by chairs or other objects, particularly at the corners of the pedestals at the knee-space, which always become badly marred and splintered by frequent contact with the occupants chair. The use of the removable corner pieces 41 simplifies the replacement of a damaged corner.

Plastic corner pieces, when used in conJunction with steel panels (Fig. 13), not only protect the corners of the desk, particularly at the kneespace, but also insulate the user against cold and electric shock, which sometimes occur when the surface of a metal desk is either cold or electricalLv-charged, and some portion of the occupant's body come in contact with the corners of the pedestals at the knee-space.

What is claimed is:

1. A construction of the class described comprising, an all metal load-bearing pedestal frame having a plurality of U-shaped channelled metal members disposed" in spaced alignment to form the skeletonized load-bearing base and side supports 01' the frame, a pair of channelled metal bars bracing the oppositely disposed wing tips of said U-shaped members along their inner faces in horizontally spaced alignment to constitute armslide guides, a plurality of pairs of metal bars bracing the oppositely disposed sides of said U-shaped members along their inner faces in horizontally and vertically disposed alignment to constitute drawer runners, bars of L-shape in cross section arranged in horizontally spaced alignment with the vertical portions of the U-shaped members, externally bracing the free ends of the arm-slide guides and drawer runners and constituting corner plates, and a plurality of channeled metal bars extending between the corner plates at spaced intervals to cross brace the Pedestal frame.

2. A construction of the class described comprising, an all steel load-bearing pedestal frame having a plurality of U-shaped load-bearing channelled steel members disposed in spaced alignment to form the skeletonized load-bearing base and side supports of the frame, a pair of channelled steel bars welded to and bracing the oppositely disposed wing tips of said U-shaped members along their inner faces in horizontally spaced alignment to constitute arm-slide guides. a plurality of pairs of steel bars welded to and bracing the oppositely disposed sides oi said.

U-shaped members along their inner faces in horizontally and vertically spaced alignment to constitute drawer runners, bars of -L-shape in cross section arranged in horizontally spaced alignment with the vertical portions of the U-shaped members, welded to the external free ends of the arm-slide guides and drawer runners and constituting corner bracing plates, and a plurallty of channelled steel bars extending between and welded to the corner plates at spaced intervals to cross brace the pedestal frame.

3. A construction of the class described comprising, an all metal load-bearing pedestal frame, braced lengthwise, crosswise and comerwise by interrelated metal braces,said metal braces being fabricated in various shapes to'perform other and additional functions, the lengthwise braces including a pair of horizontally spaced metal bars positioned at the top of the pedestal frame to con stitute arm-slide guides and a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of metal bars aligned in ver-' tical tiers beneath the arm-slide guides to constitute drawer runners, the crosswise braces including metal bars adapted to support interchangeable closure'panels, the corner braces beingadapted to support interchangeable closure panels, said corner braces having openings formed therein to receive screws by which a closure panel may be secured to two corner braces, said screw-receiving openings being elongated in a direction transversely of the corner braces to compensate for differences in expansion between said frame and said closure panel, and a plurality of U-shaped metal supports aligned in spaced relation between the corner braces and passing around and beneath said lengthwise braces, each of said lengthwise braces being supported upon said U-shapedsupports, so that the weight of the pedestal frame and its entire contents is carried and supported by said U-shaped supports.

4. A construction of the class described comprising, an all steel load-bearing pedestal frame, braced lengthwise, crosswise and comerwlse by interrelated steel braces, said steel braces being fabricated from sheet steel in various shapes to perform other and additional functions, the lengthwise braces including a pair of horizontally spaced steel bars positioned at the top of the pedestal frame to constitute arm-slide guides and a plurality of horizontally spaced pairs of other steel bars aligned in vertical tiers beneath the arm-slide guides to constitute drawer runners, the

crosswise braces including steel bars adapted to support interchangeable closure panels, the corner braces being adapted to support interchangeable closure panels, said corner braces having openings formed therein to receive screws by which a closure panel may be secured to two corner braces, said screw-receiving openings being slotted in a direction transversely of the corner braces to compensate for differences in expansion between said frame and said closure panel, and a plurality of U-shaped steel supports aligned in spaced relation between the corner braces and passing around and beneath all of said lengthwise braces, each of said lengthwise braces being welded to the inner faces of said U-shaped supports, so that the entire load of the pedestal frame and its contents is carried and supported in its entirety by said U-shaped supports.

5. A desk construction of the class described, designed to be enclosed with one of a plurality of groups of distinctively different interchangeable decorative panels constructed either of metallic or non-metallic materials comprising, a pedestalhaving a standardized all metal load-bearing pedestal frame, said frame being braced lengthwise, cornerwise, and crosswise, by-metal braces fabricated in various shapes to perform other and additional functions, said lengthwise braces including a plurality of spaced pairs of drawer runners arranged in vertical tier, the corner braces which are fastened to the opposite ends of said drawer runners constituting end plates for interchangeably detachably supporting the various panels and having enlarged openings formed therein for compensating for any differences in expansion between the pedestal frame and the panels, said cross braces extending between the end plates at the front and rear of the pedestal frame, the rear cross braces being adapted to interchangeably detachably support the different end panels, one or more U-shaped metal supports positioned between the end plates for supporting the drawer rlmners and closure. panels, so that the entire load of the pedestal frame and its contents is carried and supported by said U- shaped supports, and the closure panels being detachable and replaceable relativelyto the pedestal frame without disassembling the remainder of the desk structure.

6. A desk construction of the class described, designed to be enclosed with any one of a plurality of sets of distinctively different decorative panels constructed either of metallic or non-metallic materials comprising, a standardized all steel load-bearing pedestal frame, saidframe being braced lengthwise, cornerwise and crosswise by steel braces all fabricated in various shapes from sheet steel so as to perform other and additional functions, said lengthwise braces including a plurality of spaced pairs of drawer runners arranged in vertical tiers, the corner braces which are welded to the opposite ends of said drawer runners constituting end plates for interchangeably detachably supporting any of the decorative panels,

said cross braces being welded between the end plates at the front and the rear of the pedestal frame, the rear cross braces being adapted to interchangeably detachably support the different end panels, at least one U-shaped channelled steel support positioned between the end plates, and the drawer runners being welded to and supported by said U-shaped support, whereby the entire load of the pedestal frame and its contents, and the weight of the interchangeable closure panels, are carried and supported by said U -shaped support.

'7. An oihce desk of the class described comprising a panelled pedestal, said pedestal including a load-bearing frame fabricated entirely of steel bars, said pedestal frame including armslide guides and drawer runners for bracing the frame lengthwise, end plates welded to the armslide guides and drawer runners corner bracing the frame, cross braces welded between the end plates, a plurality of U-shaped channelled steel supports disposed between the end plates and passing around and beneath the arm-slide: guides and drawer runners, said arm-slide guides and drawer runners being welded to said U-shaped supports so that the entire load of the pedestal and its contents is carried by the U-shaped supports, and corners composed of plastic material detachably attached to the end plates to insulate the corners of the desk and protect the user from low temperature and. electric shock.

8. An oflice desk of the class described comprising a panelled pedestal, said pedestal includ- .6 asemos' and it contents is carried by the U-shaped supports, and a sled base engaging in the channels of said U-shaped supportsand fastened to said supports to raise said pedestal above the floor level. v

9. An oiilce desk of the class described comprising a panelled pedestal, said pedestal including a load-bearing frame fabricated entirely of steel bars, said pedestal frame including armslide guides and drawer runners for bracing the frame lengthwise, end plates welded to the armslide guides and drawer runnerscorner bracing the frame, cross braces welded between the end plates, a plurality of U-shaped channelled steel supports disposed between the end plates and passing around and beneath the arm-slide guides and drawer runners, said arm-slide guides and drawer runners being welded to said U-shaped supports so that the entire load of the pedestal and its contents is carried by the u-shaped supports, a sled base engaging in the channels of said U-shaped supports and fastened to said supports to raise said pedestal above the floor level, and corners composed of plastic material detachably attached to the end plates to insulate the corners of the desk against low temperature and electric current leakage.

10. An office desk of the class described comprising a panelled pedestal, said pedestal including a load-bearing frame fabricated entirely of steel bars, said pedestal frame including armslide guides and drawer runner; for bracing the frame lengthwise, end plates welded to the armslide guides and drawer runners corner bracing the frame, cross braces welded between the end plates, a U-shaped channelled steel support disposed between the end plates and passing around and beneath the arm-slide guides and drawer runners, said arm-slide guides and drawer runners being welded to said U-shaped support so that the entire load of the pedestal and its contents is carried by the U-shaped support, a sled base engaging in the channel of said U-shaped support and fastened to said support to raise said pedestal above the floor level, and glides secured to the bottom of said sled base in spaced relation to each other.

11. An article of furniture of the class described comprising an all-metal load-bearing. pedestal frame having four metal corner members, a series of pairs of metal bars secured to said corner members-to partially form said frame,

some of said bars constituting side braces and others cross braces for th frame, said side braces beingv secured to said corner members in spaced 7 horizontal parallel alignment and shaped to constitute drawer runners, a plurality of load-bearing metal supports passing around and beneath said side braces between and in parallel spaced relation to said corner members and to each other, said side braces being attached to and some of the uppermost carried by said load-bearing supports, said corner members and certain of said braces being adapted to cooperate to suspend a series of non-loadbearing closure panels upon said pedestal frame,

7 braces cooperating to fasten a top for the article upon the pedestal frame, and said load-bearing supports constituting the base whereon the entire weight of the article and its contents are to be supported above the level of the floor.

J. FREEMAN. 

